Retread Motorcycle Tires?

[AdventurePoser]

Browsing through the magazine copy of www.competitionaccessories.com on page 70, I saw an ad for what appears to be retread mototires...

 

This is first for me. Anyone else heard or had experience with these?

 

Cheers,

Steve

[David]

I think Cee Bailey's sells a version of them. Frankly, I wouldn't try them if they were free. Not because of Cee Baileys, but because I see too many truck retreads on the interstate. As soon as I quit seeing them, I'll assume they've improved the technology.

[Jim VonBaden]

I think Cee Bailey's sells a version of them. Frankly, I wouldn't try them if they were free. Not because of Cee Baileys, but because I see too many truck retreads on the interstate. As soon as I quit seeing them, I'll assume they've improved the technology.

 

Not that I disagree with your feelings about using them, but your reasoning seems off to me. Trucks weigh as much as 80K pounds, and use very hard rubber. They really don't compare to motorcycle tires.

 

Still, for the low cost of decent tires for bikes, I wouldn't risk retreads any more than I do on my cage!

 

Jim

[JohnJC]

Tomahawk Here at Cycletires.com has been making these for a few years now, and in color.

 

I'm with David. I'd never try them. I don't care if the process they use is aircraft safe, I'm not taking the chance. How many heat cycles have the carcasses been through? Who warrants the carcass? Why do truck tires still shred after all these years if there is a truly better process? Nope, not for me.

[jjohnson24]

I would spend more on a shrink to cure me of the neurosis of worrying about my retreads than on buying new tires so I don't see any savings.

[fgunde]

When I was a kid, I worked in a tire shop that made their own retreaded tires on site. They made some of the better retreads in the area. I have seen first hand what can happen when they fall apart. Not for me or my RT.

 

The Life you save, may be your own.

 

FrancisG

[Jon_M]

Recently, while on a ride over Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles, I stopped at Newcomb's Ranch, hangout for street racers. There was an animated conversation about tires, and the consensus was that 1200-1500 was good mileage on a tire. One guy commented on buying three sets over the course of the summer. That is probably where the market for re-treads is. If you have ever watched these swarming packs in action, you will agree that re-treads are by no means their only compromise with safety.

[ghan]

Several threads from those that have used them on the track and street.

 

One

Two

Three

 

A few words from an AFM racer:

 

"I'm sponsored by Tomahawk so you guys may think I am bias. This is my honest opinion and some facts. I've been doing a lot of R&D work for these guys over the last 6 months. I can tell you guys that Tomahawk is the real deal. They are not some mom and pop shop looking to make a buck. They have a huge factory with tires to the roof. I've seen how they are made and the process is almost identical to a new tire from the carcass on up. They are not retreads like most think but remolds. The only difference is that the carcass was used once. The carcass of a race tire only has a few hours on it. It's the out side rubber that goes.

 

The machine that molds the tires is basically the same as the machine that molds a new tire. The process of placing the rubber is almost identical to the process of placing rubber on a new tire. Added reassurance is that each tire goes through a fancy X-ray machine called Laser Shearography to check for any problems. If there are any, the tire is chucked. So far almost all of the tires have been perfect.

 

As far has performance I've been on every compound they sell plus a lot of prototype compounds. First off the colored (can get them in black too) tires are not racing tires. Like someone posted previous they are somewhere between the sport touring range and a sport tire. I've been on a few colored tires at the track and I got to the limits of them but was surprised with how predictable they felt. For the street guys they are great.

 

The race compounds are awesome and getting even better. They have a compound now that I really like and I raced on it at California Speedway for the opening round of WERA. I was just using their front because the rear slick is not ready yet and I got a 4th, 6th, and 7th. My times were off by only 0.2 seconds from my best time there. 1:35.6, I think I would have qualified for the AMA Supersport race last year and this was on a Tomahawk This weekend at buttonwillow I had a different compound I was testing in practice. My practice times were the fastest I had ever gone in practice with times in the 1:55s. I would have like to have raced on Tomahawks but they just wanted to have me test them in practice in preparation for the up coming AMA race. In the race I got down to 1:53s but I'm sure that if I was on the Tomahawks my times would have been the same. I don't push as hard in practice. I finished 5th in 600 superbike and started in row 4 and 4th in Formula one and started in row 8.

 

Earlier today I was out on Tomahawks Supermoto CRF450 at Stockton's motorplex and Doug Chandler was out there. I was on a set of Tomahawks front and rear that I used last week and was only 1.9 seconds off of Doug's time. By the way Doug is a super cool guy. This was only my 3rd time on the bike and he really helped me set it up. The tires worked great, they were the race compound slicks.

 

I'm really excited about these tires. When I started working with them 6 months ago I told them that if we could get the tires within 10% of other name brands that I would be happy with that. I would say right now that they are equal to what is out on the market now. I am extremely happy how far they have come in such a short time. I think that they are only going to get better. You can also request what carcass you would like them built on.

 

I know that there may be skeptics out there. I was one, but now that I know how they are made how they grip, I am confident in recommending them to anyone. It's good for the sport, more competition in the tire market is good for the consumer no matter what brand they decide to buy.

 

If anyone has any questions, you can call me on my cell at 925-383-7438. I would be happy to explain in more detail to anyone about the tires.

 

I will most likely be on them this weekend at the AMA race at California Speedway. This is my first AMA event so wish me luck."

 

 

__________________

Garth Dillon

 

AMA #119

AFM #419

[Rags]

Good luck Garth.

 

My problem with retreads is this: bonding.

 

Slicks rubber is a different compound, than on the original carcus. Each rubber has it's own elasticity (hysterysis) profile, heat profile and density.

 

The question in my mind is can they bond without failure (hot or cold for their life) That question would keep me away from them. Like others have said - there is not that much of a savings.